speaker, it contains full funding for the departments of defense and veterans' affairs. exactly what the house approved the other week. without the additional flexibility provided in this bill, the pentagon could face severe funding constraints even beyond sequestration. potentially jeopardizing our national security. in addition to addressing our military equipment and readiness needs, it also provides for the quality of life and health of our troops and veterans. we have added an additional $2.5 billion for the v.a. to ensure our nation's war fighters receive the benefits they have earned for their service. the senate -- to the bill we passed, the senate added three additional full year appropriations bills to h.r. 33. the ones for homeland security, commerce, just t. and science, and agriculture. mr. speaker, these were the bills that passed the house by large margins with bipartisan backing. and are now by the senate reinserted into the c.r. for the balance of the year. and it pleases this member and this chairman that those bills were picked up and certified into th